Sweetness

I get by with a little help from my friends

Thoughts on turning 40.
All of the sudden I realize that there are a lot of wrinkle reducing creams on the market. What's a girl to use without refinancing your house over it?
Four children left my stomach completely streched out and sagging, but seriously, all of the fat on my body has migrated to my mid- section. AND, my butt seems to be disappearing.
Mood swings. Uncontrollable tears. Nuf said.
My life is half over.
Spanx is my new best friend.
I can barely keep up with tweezing the gray out of my hair and I've tried unsuccessfully to color my hair at home. Headed to the salon for some help now. Please.


I did spend the weekend with friends in my life who have gone over the hill and are doing the thing amazingly well. Beautiful, inside and out. I really want to do this gracefully. I just wish I would have used more sunscreen.

Meredith's 25th Birthday

Lazy daze of summer

We are off and running in the summer of '09. The last two weeks have been filled mostly with vacation bible schools. Hannah, Sophie, and Isaac all had a blast learning about Jesus and singing great songs to the King of Kings!! The weather has been less than favorable so its a good thing we had VBS to fall back on.

Last week, Isaac started tball. He woke up early, put on his spider man baseball cap and wore his glove around until it was time to leave. I was anxious to see what he would do since he has never stepped foot on a field.

We go to the field and from the moment we arrived until the moment we left, he never stopped grinning. The sweetest, most genuinely happy grin a kid can have. For starters, he proudly took his place at home to swing the bat and he nailed it! Then, ran like the wind to first and proudly looked back at us to get the thumbs up. Precious. He ran around the bases and then raced passed home with his hand high in the air pumping his fists in victory. I am convinced that its in a boys blood to play baseball.

In the field, he ran after the ball, threw it in, and didn't have a clue about tagging the bases. Once told to the tag the base, he tagged it every time the ball was hit, with or without the ball. (mostly without) Afterwards, we walked back to the van and he triumphantly announced "That was awesome!" I think we are enjoying the first of many fun summers of baseball.

Little Buddy's Big Day

It's official. We are a family that no longer uses training wheels.
On his very first attempt, our precious little Isaac went sailing off into the wild blue yonder.

Fight Like a Girl

To my sisters in Christ,

I am trying to wrap my brain around the way God works out all details into conformity to His will and will try to convey to you exactly what this weekend meant to me. The story of Esther is deeply personal to me in that He has reversed my own destiny in a miraculous way. It is a priviledge to be able to savor complete redemption and then be used for His Glory!!

Truly, you girls are amazing. I love you deeply although we have been in each others lives a relatively short period of time. I feel as if our hearts are knit together "for such a time as this". Because I lost my own sister at a very young age and have never shared in that type of relationship as an adult, I am constantly amazed as to the way God fills in that gap for me. If I could hand pick some sisters, I would pick you.

After my mom went home to be with the Lord last fall, everything changed regarding family. Not only am I without a sister, I am without a mom now. There are things moms do that no one else can do. Especially on birthdays. No one loves you like your mom and makes your feel special like your mom. I was dreading my birthday. Two reasons...one, I am almost 40. Yikes. Where has life gone? Two....I didn't want another reminder that my mom is not here. God knew how much my heart could take and in His sovereignty, He placed me on retreat. He took me out of my element and into a place of rest. He placed me with women I dearly love and allowed me to be a mouthpiece to speak of His truth. He allowed me to serve instead of sit around feeling sorry for myself. I thought the day would come and go without any fanfare...that's truly what I wanted. However, God knew differently.

Seriously, I don't know of how it could have been any better. That song we sang...He loves us, oh how He loves us.... its true! He cares for us so deeply. He knows how wounded we are and then gently, He hides us in the cleft of the rock....covering us with His hand and passes by. In His wisdom, He gives us a glimpse of His backside. The tiniest peek at what He is doing. I see how He covered my heart with His tender hand and whispered in my ear all the things I needed to hear.

God used you in my life in a way I can hardly fathom. Thank you for loving me, for being my sisters in Christ, and for making a huge impact in my life. You made me laugh the hardest I have laughed in a very, very long time. You made me cry sweet tears because of your care, love and tenderness. You were Jesus to me this weekend.

I love you,
Michelle

ps. My mom wrote birthday cards out to each of us in the last week before she went home to be with the Lord. I really didn't want to see that card on Saturday. God made a way so that didn't happen. I opened that card today and sat and cried my eyes out all by myself. It compels me to write you and tell you how much you mean to me. The card is beautiful...the last line she wrote is this..." Wish we could have had more time, but God's timing is perfect."

Don't waste any time....K?

Sophia's best day

As Troy likes to say, all days are good. It's just some days are a little better than others. Today was Sophia's best day. She has been spending a great deal of time leaning into the fence in our back yard and reaching her short arm through to the other side to pet the basset hound in the neighbors yard. There is not question that the dog is extremely cute. Being the dog lover in the family, she is enthralled with the pooch. This afternoon, the dog could not take it any longer and nuzzled the concrete block from under the fence and made her way to our yard. "Pearl" ran around the yard, chasing balls, and jumping all over the six children following after her. The photographer, a.k.a. mom, was mauled by the pup as well when attempting to take the photos. It was worth it.